West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made a dramatic claim regarding the state’s voter list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, saying that as many as **12 million (1.2 crore) voter names could be removed when the final list is published.
Speaking on February 25, 2026, after inaugurating several development projects in Bhabanipur, Mamata alleged that the Election Commission is secretly deleting valid voter names under the pretext of “logical discrepancies.”
What Mamata Banerjee Said
According to the Chief Minister:
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The first draft of the electoral roll saw 5.8 million names removed.
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She claimed that if “logical discrepancies” and other technical reasons are applied, total deletions could reach around 12 million names.
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Mamata expressed deep concern that genuine voters might be disenfranchised and strongly urged authorities not to remove any lawful voter from the rolls.
She emphasized that it doesn’t matter which political party, religion, or community a voter belongs to — every eligible voter should retain their right to vote.
Claims of Flaws in the SIR Process
Mamata asserted that the Election Commission is using “logical discrepancies” as a loophole to eliminate voters:
“At first, 5.8 million names were dropped. Then, secretly in the name of logical discrepancies, more names are being deleted.”
She also mentioned that even though the Supreme Court has issued orders regarding SIR hearings, the revision work has not properly commenced.
Call to Protect Voter Rights
Standing in front of the Bhabanipur Jain Manastambha, Mamata appealed:
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“Do not snatch anyone’s rightful vote.”
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“Return every individual’s electoral rights.”
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“Let everyone live and exercise their citizenship rights.”
Judicial Oversight & SIR Timeline
Judicial officers are currently examining the SIR documentation. However, questions remain over whether all claims and objections can be reviewed before the February 28, 2026 final voter list deadline.
While the Supreme Court has ordered the final list to be published on that date, there is a possibility that a supplementary voter list may be released afterwards.
